Many swings made for toddlers are provided with restraining bar assemblies which are generally designed to prevent a child from falling out of the swing. For example, one well known restraining mechanism utilizes a cross bar and a strap. The cross bar is connected to the ropes of the swing and may be lifted up to allow the child to be seated in the swing. The cross bar is then lowered in front of the child to prevent him from falling forward, out of the swing. Because the child may attempt to lift the cross bar while he is in the swing, a strap may be placed between the child's legs to connect the cross bar to the seat of the swing. Not only does this prevent the child from lifting the cross bar, it also precludes the child from sliding under the cross bar to get out of the swing.
While such a device has been effective for the purposes described hereinabove, it is not without its problems. For example, not only is the separate strap susceptible to being lost, but also significant inconvenience is caused by having to buckle and unbuckle the straps upon use of the swing. Moreover, having to make both the cross bar and the strap adds significantly to the cost of the product. More importantly, the restraining cross bar is not positively connected or secured to the swing, thereby potentially allowing the child to forcefully reposition the cross bar so that he could get out of the swing without unbuckling the strap.
To eliminate at least some of these problems, a T-bar has been used as an effective restraining implement. The T-bar, which generally incorporates the cross bar and strap into one piece, is used in essentially the same manner as the cross bar and strap except that a lower extension member is integrally connected to the cross bar, thereby forming the T shape.
Most known T-bar restraining assemblies for swings engage the seat of the swing between the child's legs as did the strap previously. Most T-bar restraining assemblies are designed with a latch or locking mechanism wherein an aperture in the seat is adapted to receive the lower extension member of the T-bar. For example, one known swing utilizes a latch or locking mechanism wherein the lower extension member of the T-bar includes a small recess in its front surface and a protruding lip near the bottom of its back surface. The lower extension member of the T-bar is received by the aperture in the upper front portion of the seat of the swing. Within the aperture is positioned at least two downward extending plates integrally connected to the seat. The first plate extends from the front side of the opening in relation to the seat and the second plate extends from the back side of the opening in relation to the seat. A small lip extends from the first plate to be received by the small recess in the front surface of the lower extension member of the T-bar when in the closed position. Furthermore, the protruding lip on the back surface of the T-bar extends past the lower edge of the back plate when the T-bar is in the closed position so as to preclude the T-bar from being easily disengaged. To release the T-bar, the person helping the child must squeeze the first plate and front edge of the swing together, thereby releasing the small lip in the first plate from the small recess in the lower extension member, so that the T-bar may be disengaged from the swing.
However, these known T-bar restraining assemblies do not provide the desirable total positive engagement with the swing. No other part of the T-bar engages the swing. Thus, a child may be capable of forcefully pushing the cross bar component of the T-bar away from the arm rests of the swing resulting in the possibility of the child falling out of the swing or possibly pinching his fingers between the cross bar and the arm rests of the swing.
Therefore, the need exists for a restraining bar assembly which more positively engages the swing at more than one point, and which provides a latch mechanism which is not as subject to accidental manipulation as is the case in prior mechanisms.